Adventurers of the Realm

Adventurers of the Realm is a game for 2 to 4 players where each one competes to collect treasures on a 25-space board (5x5). This decision was made because a 4x4 board was too small for mobility, and a 6x6 board was too large for the positioning of pieces and spaces.

Players roll a die and move in any direction, activating effects when landing on spaces with treasure icons, traps, or special cards. This movement mechanic was chosen because the randomness of the die enhances the gameplay experience, generating either joy or frustration depending on whether the desired number is rolled.

Action cards allow players to modify movement, swap positions, or gain extra treasures. This ensures the game is not solely dependent on random movement and that players can influence their own turns or the outcome of the game.

Setup

At the start of the game, players randomly distribute treasures, traps, and special spaces across different random locations on the board, ensuring no duplicates, except on the starting spaces. Treasures, traps, and special spaces must be placed face-down after being shuffled, and their identities remain unknown since all look identical from the back.

Turn Dynamics

To determine the player order, each player rolls a six-sided die, and the player with the highest value begins the game. Once decided, play proceeds clockwise, starting with the first player. During the game, there are ways to change the turn order through a special card that specifies an action affecting player order.

Victory Conditions

The game ends when all treasures have been collected or after 10 rounds. The winner is the player with the most treasures; in case of a tie, the player who collected their first treasure first wins.

Mechanics

Dice-based Movement:

Players advance across the board by rolling a six-sided die and moving their piece the indicated number of spaces. Movement can be horizontal or vertical, offering some strategic freedom, though it is still limited by the die's randomness. While moving, a player cannot revisit spaces already moved through in the same turn. For example, if a player rolls a 3 and moves forward 2 spaces, they cannot move backward to use up the remaining movement.

Spaces with Special Effects:

The board is divided into regular spaces and spaces with special icons:

• Treasures: When landing on these spaces, the player collects a treasure, earning points. There are 5 of these spaces.
• Traps: If a player lands on a trap, they lose a turn or must return a treasure, adding an element of risk to movement. There are 3 of these spaces.
• Special Spaces: These spaces allow players to draw a card that can alter the course of the game (move faster, swap treasures, etc.). There are 3 of these spaces.

These spaces are only activated when a player lands on them after moving. For instance, if a player rolls a 3, only the space they land on after moving 3 spaces will activate.

Action Cards:

Action cards can be drawn when a player lands on a special space. These cards allow actions that temporarily change the game rules, such as moving extra spaces, bypassing traps, swapping places with another player, or moving directly to a nearby treasure. They are essential for giving players more control over the randomness of the die. Action cards can only be used on the turn of the player who holds them, and only one card can be used per turn.